Bruno must get to the center of a victim's incomplete story to track down a serial rapist. Carisi is helpless to stop a crime he suspects is about to be committed. Carisi tries to protect two women taken hostage in a tense standoff between police and a violent thief. Benson and Rollins devise a risky plan to get everyone to safety.
Wallen was the victim on the very first case Fin and Bruno worked together. Some things have changed since that initial encounter. Everyone is working in Manhattan now. However, Fin is still constantly making jabs about Bruno's wealth. That's simply a part of their dynamic. Moreover, Wallen still distrusts the police. She doesn't believe they can help her because she's a sex worker. Fin and Bruno proved themselves once. They solved the case of who attacked her. When she's assaulted again, she is still hesitant about their help. That makes Olivia skeptical about how cooperative her detectives say the victim is in this case. She isn't working it personally. She oversees Fin and Bruno doing their jobs. She steps in when it's appropriate. She trusts them completely. They take the investigative steps they believe is best. At first, that may only result in a fine for solicitation. That's the most they can prove in a courtroom. That's not where the investigation ends. Everyone remains committed to doing right by Wallen. She keeps her secrets. She is on a path to a better life. She has a plan. She needs help. There shouldn't be any shame in that. Her walls are up. She's defensive. She's ashamed the attack was captured on video. She has done whatever it takes to survive. She is resilient. Fin and Bruno see that. They aren't trying to ruin her life for what she does. In fact, they are grateful when she lets them in and bask in the joy of her son. They deliver on their promise. The assailant accepts a deal with over a decade behind bars. That's the justice needed. It simply required everyone opening their eyes and accepting the truth.
Elsewhere, Carisi obsesses over a man he has seen on the streets a couple times looking at young girls. He understands the intention. He speaks up. He is willing to take action. No crime has actually occurred. He appears to have a vendetta against someone who hasn't done anything wrong. And yet, he builds a damning case in the hopes of preventing such crime from occurring. People listen to his complaints. Olivia is by his side as he makes his feelings known. It opens an intriguing debate about preventive justice. Law enforcement shouldn't solely be reactive. The job requires them to get justice after the fact. Steps can be taken to reduce crime and help people from making these heinous decisions in the first place. When Cottle confesses to his inappropriate thoughts, he's asking for help. Carisi couldn't live with himself if someone was hurt when he could have done something. Cottle losing his job wasn't the solution. Him receiving therapy in the aim of curbing his thoughts may not work either. Carisi can at least say he did something. He extended a hand of compassion for someone who needed help. It's not the type of work the squad typically does. Olivia knows the resources. She has a response ready. Carisi still has to make that call himself. It's a measure that this help is necessary too by those in this work. And yet, the story is way too thin to have much value in delivering that point. It keeps the characters busy while everyone else is distracted by the main plot.
Carisi no longer views himself as an action hero. He spent many years as a cop. Becoming a lawyer was his true ambition. He achieved that goal. He's still heroic in many ways. He advocates for justice in a different way. Yet his past as a detective informs a huge part of his identity. The instincts are still there when he's caught in a hostage situation. That's what makes that initial statement so weird. It's an expression of how Carisi sees himself. He has established a new routine. He has built a life with Rollins. He protects people when they need it the most. All of this drama is caused by him wanting to buy flowers for his paralegal. He has to be reminded of an anniversary. He wants to make a more meaningful gesture to show how much he appreciates her. Even after everything is done, he still wants to deliver the flowers. He isn't okay. He remains a good and honorable man. The events in the deli have an impact on him. He deals with two criminals who know how the system operates. They blame the system for their problems. They don't take any personal accountability. Yet they are responsible for every crime that happens after they initiate a robbery. That's the definition of felony murder and felony rape. A defendant can be prosecuted for any crime that occurs while they participate in a felony conspiracy. Carisi makes that point over and over again to Deonte. He appeals to his humanity. He tries to save Ali and Tess. Their fates can't be prevented. Ali is murdered. He wasn't afraid of those robbing the store. He has faced worse. He just wanted to get home to his family. Carisi tried to keep him alive. It was futile. Similarly, Boyd raped Tess. That plot point was inevitable before it was revealed he was serving time for rape. These are the criminals featured on this show. As such, they are included in every crime regardless of what the foundation is.
This is hardly the first hostage episode the series has produced. In fact, the creative team knows they can rely on this format to dramatically raise the stakes. It's all done with the intention of offering a new character arc to Carisi. He's at the center of this story. It has nothing to do with the courtroom. Instead, he's trying to keep everyone safe. He stands united with the other hostages promising to get them all to safety. Boyd and Deonte will be punished for their crimes. No one can claim self-defense either. That's a weak argument. It's still the thought that lingers in Deonte's head as everything comes to a head. He believes that's the only way of escaping accountability for himself. He doesn't know anything about the law. He listens to Carisi's advice. The prosecutor was deceitful with his tactics. He proves all the underlying beliefs these criminals had about the system that locked them up. That was the way for Carisi to survive. Of course, the narrative conveniently finds reasons to keep him and the hostages in the deli for the extent of the episode. Nothing that happens on the outside is relevant. It almost borders on nonsensical. One lieutenant desperately wants to open a line of communication. Others boast of his expertise in hostage negotiation. Yet those are empty words. Nothing ultimately comes of them. Instead, the drama focuses on whether or not Rollins should be involved in the decisions. She's personally attached. Olivia is as well. They have a vested interest in Carisi's well-being. That's true long after everyone is safe. The lingering effects on this trauma will inform the narrative's intrigue moving forward. This is a perfectly fine inciting story for that. It's just not done with any particular depth to showcase a true struggle of morality. It's easy to believe Carisi did everything right despite not being able to save everyone.
